The Upside-Down Chart Column

For the past five years, I've faithfully compiled five different specialty charts on a weekly basis and, in this wrap-up article, stuck the results on at the end almost as an afterthought. So, for a change, let's lead off with some analysis of the World/Folk top 10.
Returning as champion is Vieux Farka Toure's debut release. As briefly mentioned last week, Vieux is the son of the late Malian guitarist, Ali Farka Toure. For those who follow the specialty charts, Ali is world music royalty. The last three albums he released all topped the World/Folk chart. His two-disc Red & Green hit #1 in July 2005. His collaboration with Toumani Diabeté, In The Heart Of The Moon, followed at #1 in October 2005. The senior Farka Toure's last album, Savane, hit #1 on Oct. 10, 2006 and lasted 11 weeks on the chart.

Also of note on the World/Jazz chart, Ojos De Brujo's Techari finally hits the top 10 and debuts at #4. What makes this fact significant is the age of the album. Techari first appeared on an individual station's chart more than four months ago, but it's finally receiving more interest because of its North American re-release on Six Degrees. Something similar happened to Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars' Living Like A Refugee when it was re-released by Anti- last fall.

On the other four specialty charts, two albums make their first appearance at #1 and two return there after an absence. Of the former, Berg Sans Nipple's Along The Quai moves up one spot to top the Electronic chart, while The End's Elementary debuts at #1 on the Metal/Punk chart. Of the latter, DJ Co-Op's Co-Operation Volume 3 returns to #1 on the Hip-Hop top 10 after jumping three spots, while Zapato Negro's self-titled release moves up a spot to recapture #1 on the Jazz/Blues chart.

On the top 50 chart, Julie Doiron's Woke Myself Up continues to dominate and remains at #1 for a third week. The album received 1,745 points and outdistanced Of Montreal's Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, which remained at #2 with 1,218 points. Coming in at #3 was Deerhoof's Friend Opportunity, which racked up a total of 1,153 points. Rounding out the top five are Apostle Of Hustle's National Anthem Of Nowhere, which leaps 10 spots to #4 and pushes The Shins' Wincing The Night Away down a notch to #5. The Good, The Bad & The Queen's eponymous debut jumps a couple places to #6. Last week's Chart Sizzler, Mother Mother's Touch Up, rises five positions to #7. Swan Lake's Beast Moans drops three spots to #8, while Clinic's Visitations also drops three spots to #9. Do Make Say Think's You, You're A History In Rust rockets up 31 positions to grab #10.

The Chart Sizzler Award goes to Peter, Bjorn & John's Writer's Block, which debuts at #14. This album just beat out the Friends In Bellwoods compilation, which arrives at #15. The third highest debut was another compilation. The latest NCRA release in the Dig Your Roots series, Creative Jazz, arrives at #26. Another album that's been charting below the radar since mid-October finally hits the top 50, as Kid Koala's Your Mom's Favourite DJ enters at #32. Other notable new entries include Blankett's Be Your Own Boss at #36, Kim Barlow's Champ at #43 and Sweet Homewreckers' From The Letdown To The Come Around at #48.

On a final note, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton's Knives Don't Have Your Back remains in the top 50 and rises a spot to #19 in its 21st week on the chart. This is the first album since Broken Social Scene's self-titled album in March 2006 to chart for this long. Those two albums are tied for ninth all-time for the most weeks of service on the top 50 along with Bran Van 3000's Glee (September 1997) and Death From Above 1979's You're A Woman, I'm A Machine (February 2005).